Hi, All!

http://www.was-ist-fido.de/doks/fnews/fido443.txt

In 1985, the first FidoNet policy document was published. It concerned
itself almost entirely with technical procedural issues. It required a
capability to send and receive email, defined the "national mail
hour" as mandatory, delineated roles of the local network hubs and
nodelist coordinators, and stated simple restrictions on routing of traffic
through unsuspecting nodes. In addition, it stated two social rules, a
proscription against use of the network for illegal purposes (e.g. pirated
software) and a statement of FidoNet's basic social guideline, "Do not
be excessively annoying and do not become excessively annoyed." In
1986, a well-intentioned but naive group formed the International FidoNet
Association, intending to promulgate the technology and coordinate
publication of the newsletter and other writings about the network.
Unfortunately, as FidoNet operators were far more socially oriented than
their more technical brethren in the other networks, the formal
organization of IFNA tended to draw considerable political interest and
attracted the less constructive political elements of the FidoNet culture.
The issue came to a head in 1989 with an attempt to load the IFNA board of
directors and pass a motion which explicitly put IFNA in complete control
of the network. The motion was cleverly forced into a netwide referendum
(FidoNet's only global vote to date) which required a majority of the
network assent to IFNA rule. The referendum did not pass, and IFNA was
subsequently dissolved.

Bye, Sinc, Alex

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